Gatot order on PKI film could create division: PDI-P

BINTANGnews.com
– Secretary-general
of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Hasto Kristiyanto said
that Indonesian

Military (TNI) commander Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo could stir up
fresh controversy with his order on the screening of the propaganda film Pengkhinatan
G30S/PKI (Betrayal of the Communists).

Hasto
said that although the TNI commander had the authority to order the screening,
the program could in fact create more problems in the society.

"What
the PDI-P wants is that we should look to the future by learning from what
happened in the past," Hasto said as quoted by tempo.co, adding that a
leader should make efforts to unite the country and not create division.

Gatot
has ordered TNI personnel to hold screening of Pengkhinatan G30S/PKI in an effort to teach the young generation
about the danger of communism.

President
Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has not commented on Gatot's plan.

Pengkhinatan G30S/PKI, which is directed by acclaimed
director Arifin C. Noer, tells the story of Gen. Soeharto in quashing a coup
blamed on the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI). In the big-budget film,
communists are depicted as godless savages who mutilated military officers in a
frenzy.

Last
week, while visiting the tomb of Soeharto in Surakarta, Gatot praised the
former leader, saying that he should be a role model for all TNI personnel.***